ABC is Florida’s largest professional management association of commercial, industrial and institutional general contractors, specialty contractors, associates and suppliers.
Ranked by the U.S. Congress among the most influential organizations in the country, ABC was founded on and remains committed to our three-fold mission of safety and skills training, government and political affairs, and business development.
This is the last federal update for the month as both the House and Senate are out of session for the August Recess after President Trump signed into law a two-year budget deal that raises spending limits and suspends the debt ceiling for two more years.
2019 Congressional Recess Grassroots Toolkit:
We have updated the 2019 Congressional Recess Grassroots Toolkit. It is also available on National Connections here. There you will find useful resources for the August recess period, including a PowerPoint (attached) on hosting lawmakers at events, legislative talking points and updates, graphic assets and more.
Please contact Grassroots Manager Patrick McCarty (mccarty@abc.org) for any questions regarding the Grassroots Toolkit or if you host a jobsite or chapter event with a lawmaker. If you have any questions about communications or media outreach for an upcoming event, please reach out to Director of Media Relations Rachel O’Grady (ogrady@abc.org).
DOL Update:
Reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division is reviewing public comments to finalize the “Big Three” rules that many businesses have labeled their top labor policy priorities, aiming to complete the trio: overtime, regular rate, and “joint employer” before the end of the year.
Senate Republicans are also working to confirm the President’s new DOL Secretary nominee Gene Scalia as soon as October.
Trade Update:
After Chinese and U.S. officials tried to restart trade talks earlier last week, President Trump announced Friday the U.S. would impose a 10 percent tariff on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports. The tariff will take effect on Sept. 1 and will target retail, along with other consumer goods from companies like Apple. The news pushed the S&P 500 to its worst weekly performance of the year, and stocks fell sharply today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging 524 points and the S&P 500 dropping 2%.
China also responded to the President’s announcement by letting its currency, the Chinese yuan, sink to the weakest level in over a decade, prompting President Trump to call the move currency manipulation and making Chinese goods cheaper for overseas buyers, and ordering state-owned companies to reportedly halt their purchases of U.S. agricultural products.
Congressional Retirements:
A number of Texas Republicans in the U.S. House announced their decision to not seek re-election in 2020 including Reps. Will Hurd (TX-23), Mike Conaway (TX-11), Pete Olson (TX-22), and Kenny Marchant (TX-24). Conaway’s seat is the only of the four that is not considered competitive for the next election. A total of 11 House Republicans currently plan to retire or seek another office in 2020, while only three House Democrats have announced their decisions not to run.
Democrats flipped two Texas GOP House seats in 2018 with Freshman Members Colin Allred ousting Rep. Pete Sessions, and Lizzie Fletcher defeating Rep. John Culberson, and hope that they can make even more gains next year with Republicans forced to defend more open seats and President Trump, who remains unpopular in suburban areas, at the top of the ticket.
New Member Highlight:
Mark Green, a physician and combat veteran who was part of the military operation that captured Saddam Hussein in Iraq, represents the 7th district of Tennessee, a seat previously held by Freshman U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn.
Green graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as an Army Ranger and special operations flight surgeon, deploying to both Iraq and Afghanistan in the War on Terror. He has been awarded the Bronze Star, and the Air Medal Device with V for Valor.
Green was elected to the State Senate in 2012, and fought to repeal of the Hall Income Tax and enact the Teachers Bill of Rights.
In the 116th Congress, Rep. Green serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
While the majority of bills that passed this session have yet to be delivered to the Governor for his final consideration and signature, we wanted to take a moment to send you the attached report – a final look at ABC’s Legislative Priorities, other bills of interest to the industry, what passed, what didn’t, what to lookout for, and who our Legislative Champions are from this session.
As “The Voice of Commercial Construction” in Florida, we take pride in advocating on your behalf and on behalf of our entire industry. We hope you find this report helpful.
Find your Florida House Member
Carol Bowen, ABC Chief Lobbyist
3730 Coconut Creek Parkway, Suite 200
Coconut Creek, FL 33066
cbowen@abceastflorida.com
Robert Stuart
Chris Carmody
GrayRobinson
Find ABC Chapters across the nation here.
Visit the ABC of Florida website for more information.
© 2019 — Central Florida Chapter Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.